Arch-supporting device for boots and shoes



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,353

M. c. MESSLER ARCH SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed May 7, 1925 Fig 1.

l/lllllllllll Patented Dec. 4,` 1,928.

MATIE C. MESSLEB, OF VPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

'ro MADGE MESSLER,

ARCH-SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Application led yMay 7,

This invention relates to an arch-supporting device for use in boots and shoes. The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device, which is capable of cushioning the heel of the foot and of being automatically arched in the act of Walking so as to support the arch of the foot, as will be described.

To this end, the arch-supporting device is provided with a cushioning member of relatively soft rubber of substantial thickness, and preferably crepe or spongy rubber, and

a flexible backm member of fibrous material to which the ru ber exible member is cemented or otherwise firmly aiixed.

The flexible backing member is located in the boot or shoe so as to extend from the heel portion to the ball portion thereof, and is anchored at its front end against movement in the shoe while its heel and body portion andthe cushioning member aiiixed thereto are free to be moved longitudinally in the shoe toward and from the anchored end.

The iexible backing member may form an yintegral part of an insole or itvmay be separate therefrom and cemented or otherwise att-ached thereto, as will be described.

The particular features of the invention will be pointed out. in the claims at the end ofthis specification. l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away of a shoe provided with an arch-supporting device embodying the invention, and shown in its normal or substantially fiat position;

Fig. 2,-a like Iview showing the arch-supporting member in the position it assumes when the wearer of the shoe is walking,the heel portion of the cushioning member being compressed and the body portion arched to support the arch of the foot;

F1g. 3, a plan, and

Fig. 4, a side elevation of a modied form of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and l`2, 10 represents the cushioning member of the improved archsupporting device, and 12, the backing memher of fibrous material to which the cushioning member 10 is cemented or otherwise affixed.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the backing member 12 is sho'wn as an integral part of an insole c of a shoe d, and is formed by splitting the insole c horizontally for a portion of its length, viz: from the rear or eel portion to 192,6. Serial No. 101,374.

the ball portion, whereby the insole. is pro-- vided with an unsplit fore part 13 from which extends a lower split 14 and an upper split which forms the backing member 12. The fore part 13 and the lowery split 14 constitute the insole of the shoe to which the upper is stitched in the usual manner. The upper split or backing member 10 is anchored at its front end to the fore part 13 of the insole but is otherwise free from the upper and insole' proper, so that it can be and down and also lengthwise. y

The cushioning member 10 is preferably made of spongy or crepe rubber and for the greater portion of its length is made of substantial thickness and is provided with a substantially wedge-shaped or tapering'front portion 15, which extends to or substantially movedup When, however, the weight of the wearer is imposed on the cushioning member, the` heel of the foot compresses the rearv portion of the cushioning member and forces, the.

front portion of the cushioning member forward, and -because the front end of the cushioning member is anchored, the portion between the anchored front end and the heel is arched upwardly under the arch of the foot to support the latter.

This arching of the cushioning member is pronounced when the wearer is walking, for in the act of-walking the rear portion of the heel first strikes the ground-and. compresses the cushionin lowered to brmg the ball portion into contact with the ground, the cushioning member 10 and its backing member 12 are moved forward iin the direction of the length of the shoe, and as the cushioning member and its; backing member `are anchored at their front ends, they. are unable to be moved forward bodily, and consequently are arched upwardly under the arch of the foot and into contact. therewithso as to afford a yieldable support for said arch. T-

. When the foot is lifted from the ground, the weight is removed from the cushioning member and as the foot is y cemented or device and the latter is free to return to its normal or substantially flat or straight condition illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that thearch-supporting device is anchored at its front end, but is otherwise free to move lengthwise in the shoe, and is automatically transformed from. a sub-` stantially tlat condition into an arched con'- ditio'n to support the arch of the foot when the weight of the wearer is placed upon the cushioning` member both when the wearer is standing still and when'walking.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the cushioning member is anchored at its front end by securing it to a backing member which constitutes the upper layer or memberot' a split insole, but it is not desired to limit the invention inv this respect as the backingmember l2 may be stitched to the ball portion of an unsplit insoleV as represented in Figs. 3 and 4. I l i y When made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front end of the backing member is skived or rendered thin and may be'secured to the insole c by cement, representedby the heavy black line 21 or by stitches or by both.

When made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the insole c may be a relatively V-thin insole, such as now commonly used inibootsand slices, and to which the upper of the shoe is sewed, or the insole c and its attached arch-supporting device may be separate from the shoe and 1nserted therein after the manner` of a slip inner sole, so that the arch-supporting member may bc used with different shoes of the wearer.

When the insole is insertible in the shoe, it is made of the proper size to fit somewhat snugly in the shoe so as to prevent movementthereof lengthwise ot the shoe in the act ot walking', of the arch-supporting member to be obtained. l

From the above description, it,- will be seen that a shoe provided with the improved archsupporterhas a cushioning member anchored at its front end at or near the ball portion ot' the shoe and free at its rear end to be moved longitudinally and automatically arched in the act of walking, soas to support and thereby enable the full benefit the arch of the foot longitudinally and transversely.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a boot-or shoe provided with a split insole having its lower split portion sewed to the vupper of theshoe and having its upper split portion anchored at its front end to the i'ore part near the ball of the shoe and having its rear portion free from the lower split portion to move lengthwise of the shoe, ot' a cushioning member aiixed to said upper split portion to move as one piece therewith and capable of being arched.

2. In a boot or shoe, in combination, an insole, an arch-support aflixed to said insole and comprising a iiexible back member anchored at its front end to said insole at or near the ball portion thereotand having its remaining portion tree to vmove longitndi! nally with relation to said insole, and a cushioning member atliXed to said backing member to move therewith.

3. In a boot or shoe, in combination, an insole, and an arclfi-supporting device having a cushioning member of substantial thickness anchored at its front yend to the ball portion of said'insolek and extended to the rear or heel portion of the insole and disconnected from said insole from said anchored front end to said heel portion to be capable of being moved lengthwise ot' said insole.

4. The combination with an insole, of a :librous member extended from the heel to near the ball ot' said insole and anchored to t-he insole at its iront end while leaving its remaining portion unanchored, and a layer of relatively soft rubber aiiixed to said fibrous member and .capable of moving with said iibrous Inember lengthwise of the insole.

5. The combination with a boot or shoe, ot an arch-supporting member of relatively sott rubber located in saidshoe and having its front end restrained from movement lengthwise of Said shoe and having the remainder of its length unrestrained to permit it to be arched.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MATIE C. MESSLICR. 

